Lawsuit over slain Detroit police officer to proceed after OK from bankruptcy judge

Patricia Catherine Williams, 33, right, was shot to death in 2009 by her husband Edward Gordon Williams II, 36, left, who then turned the gun on himself in a Canton Township parking lot. Both were Detroit police officers. A federal lawsuit filed by Katie Williams' family against Detroit and Canton Township is pending.(MLive files | Detroit Police Department)

DETROIT, MI -- U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Steven Rhodes will allow a lawsuit over the 2009 death of a Detroit police officer to proceed, according to court documents filed this week.

Hundreds of lawsuits against the city were put on hold in July 2013 when Emergency Manger Kevyn Orr took the Detroit into bankruptcy, citing $18 billion in debt.

Deborah Ryan, who sued the city in 2011 over the death of her daughter Patricia "Katie" Williams, asked Rhodes in September to lift the automatic stay of her case.

He granted that request Tuesday, "solely to the extent necessary to allow the Lawsuit to proceed to a final nonappealable judgment."

She sued Detroit, two Detroit police supervisors, Canton Township and two Canton police officers, claiming they failed to fully address signs including a suicide note that indicated her daughter's husband was unstable and dangerous.

Edward Williams shot and killed Katie Williams on Sept. 22, 2009 in a parking lot between the Canton Township library and police station before turning the gun on himself.

The couple left behind a 9-year-old son.

The lawsuit cites the Civil Rights Act, claiming authorities would have acted differently had the Williams not been police officers.

Both the city and the township denied liability and filed motions for summary judgment.

The last hearing in the case was held in federal court on July 18, 2013, the same day Detroit filed for bankruptcy protection.

Any judgement against the city in the case will be subject to cuts determined by a final plan of adjustment in the bankruptcy case, Rhodes noted.

Orr plans to submit to Rhodes a proposed plan for restructuring the city's debt next month.